Moscow Reacts to Resignation of Armenian PM Sargsyan

April 23, 2018

Serzh Sargsyan
Kremlin Press Service

Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned on Monday after days of anti-government protests in the capital Yerevan and other cities.

Sargsyan, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had served as Armenia's president for a decade until earlier this month and had faced accusations of clinging to power when parliament voted for him to take up the post of prime minister.

His resignation is unprecedented for a post-Soviet country, but Russian officials on Monday largely cheered on the protests, hailing them as an example of democracy.

Asked earlier on Monday whether Moscow was concerned about the unrest, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was Armenia’s “domestic affair.” “Why should Moscow interfere?” he asked.

“I’m positive about Sargsyan’s resignation. It was a manly and wise decision [to resign.] He’s been in different situations, but he didn’t go for bloodshed or pitting the security services against the people, which could have ended very badly.”